Toilet cabinet



Dec- 19, 1939- H. l. sTlLLr-:R .2,183,897

TOILET CABINET Original Filed Oct. 16, 1936 2 Sheets-She'et 1 ...HHHHHHU WHW" Dec. 19, 1939. VH. L'sTlLLER 2,183,897

i TOILET CABINET Original Filed Oct'. 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet-2 MWA/raf Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 16, 1936, Serial No. 105,918 Renewed May 12, 1939 10 Claims.

My invention relates to the art of bathroom xtures and particularly totoilets.

It is an object of my invention to effectively disguise a toilet bowl and flush tank so that .3 these will have the appearance of an article of furniture.

For effecting this disguise it is a further object of my invention to provide a housing which is applicable to a toilet bowl sol as to give the appearance of an article of furniture.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for automatically Ventilating a toilet when this is in use. k

A still further object of my invention is to prolvide a means for automatically closing a seat cover for a toilet seat following use of the toilet so that this cover will be at all times closed when the toilet is not in use.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a housing for disguising a toilet, which housing may be installed by being slid into place over a toilet bowl and which when so installed makes a liquid tight fit with the rim of said bowl.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a power means for actuating the flush tank or valve of a toilet. y

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as further objects and advantages, will be made manifest in the following description. taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 with a large portion of the toilet bowl broken away to illustrate the operating mechanism of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the packing ring of my invention just as the housing is being slid into a position over a toilet bowl and before the front portion of this packing ring comes over the rim of said bowl.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and illustrates a front portion of the packing ring of my invention at the completion of the assembly of the housing on the bowl. v

Fig. 5 is a transverse fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the operating mechanism of my invention for the purpose of illustrating the function of this mechanism.

Fig, 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on the line I-T of Fig. 6.

I shall now refer specifically to the drawings in which I have shown a disguised toilet IIJ comprising a preferred embodiment of my invention, this toilet including a toilet bowl I I, a flush tank I2 and a disguising cabinet I4. The toilet bowl 5.. I l is preferably a Siphon-jet, elongated-bowl type having a base i9 and a rim 29 and a iiush pipe 2l which connects with the bottom of the flush tank l2. The bowl II is secured to a oor 22 by bolts 23 passing through the base I5. Trapped between 10 the base I9 and the floor 22 is a housing mounting plate 25 having inverted channel tracks 26 along opposite side edges (see Fig. 5).

The flush tank I2 is of the ordinary type having a valve seat 39 surrounding the upper end of l5 the flush pipe 2|, this seat being adapted to be engaged by a float valve ball 3I having a stem 32, the upper end of which has a head 33. The stem 32 is surrounded by an eye 34 on the lower end of a lever 35 which is connected to a bell 20 crank 36 having an outer arm 31.

The housing I 4 of my invention includes a porcelain enameled sheet steel shell 40 which is shaped substantially like a chair and covers the bowl II and flush tank I2. It is to be understood 25 that the shell 40 may be of various designs, the form in which it is shown herein being purely illustrative. The shell 40 has side wa1ls4l and 42, a front wall 43, a rear upper portion 44 which encloses the flush tank I2, and a top plate 45. 30

I'heflower edge of each of the side Walls 4I and 42 is provided with an inwardly and upwardly bent track 46, these being adapted to fit inside of and unite with the inverted channels 26 to hold the housing I4 downwardly. The side wall 35 4I is provided with a cavity 50 for holding paper. also supported on this wall is a motor fan unit 5I which has an inlet pipe 52 and an exhaust pipe 53 the latter leading to an ordinary Ventilating flue 54 which is a part of av building wall 55.

The Wall 42 has provided thereon a series of studs providing lever bases 66, 6l, 62, 63, 64 and 65. Pvotally mounted on these lever bases respectively are bell crank 66, lever 61 and bell cranks 68, 69, 'I0 and 1I. Lower arms of the bell 45 crank 66 and lever 61 are connected by a link l5. The upper arms of bell crank 66 are connected by a pitman I6 to `the lower end of a rod 'I'I slidably mounted in brackets 78 which has a foot 'I9 bent from its upper end. Provided on rod 'I'I 50 is a collar 86 and a spring 8| between the collar 80 and upper bracket 'I8 to normally force the rod 'I'I downwardly,

Also mounted on the side plate 42 is an electric control switch controlling the motor fan unit 55 5|, this switch having an arm 85 which is connected to the rod 11 so that when this arm is disposed in its full-line position shown in Fig. 2, the switch is off.

On the upper end of the lever B1 is a detent 90 which urges a ball 6| in the direction of the side wall 42 (see Fig. 7).

The arm 31 of the flush tank operating bell crank 36 is connected b-y a vertical rod 92 with a right-hand arm of the bell crank 53, whereas an upper arm of this bell crank connects with a horizontal rod 93 the opposite end of which is pivotally connected with the leftward arm of bell crank 1|. The bell crank 68 is provided with a spring arm 94 to which a spring 95 is connected to normally maintain bell crank 68, rod 92, rod 93 and bell crank 1| in the positions in which these are shown in full lines in Fig. 2. Lower arms of the bell cranks 60 and 10 are bifurcated, straddle the rod 93, and are adapted to be engaged by collars 96 and 91 provided on this rod.

Also mounted on the wall 42 is an electric motor |00 having an internal gear connection (not shown) with a crank |0| which is connected by a link |02 with the upper arm of the bell crank 10.

The top plate 45 has upper side marginal portions II in one of which is provided an opening for receiving a stem of a manual flusher operating button I2. The stem III is hollow and has a rod H3 which is straddled by a righthand bifurcated arm of bell crank 1| (see Fig. 6). The lower end of the rod II 3 has a nut II 4 for engaging this bifurcated arm of bell crank 1I so as to rotate this bell crank when the button I|2 is lifted further than the distance intervening between this nut and the bell crank. Mounted in the manual button I I2 is an electric contact button |20 from which wires |2I lead downwardly through the stem III and out at the lower end thereof, these wires being connected in the circuit of the motor |00 to so control the latter that each time the button |20 is pressed the motor |00 is energized just a sufficient length of time to cause a single rotation of the crank l0 I. Between the marginal portion I I0 of the housing top plate i5 this plate is terraced by successive bending of the metal thereof to provide shelves |25 and |26, these shelves and the marginal portions I I0 being connected by vertical walls |21 and |28. The inner edge of the shelf |26 surrounds an opening which is substantially the same shape and superimposed over the opening within the rim 20 of the bowl Extending downwardly from this shelf is a wall |30, the lower edge of this wall having a back turned flange |3| which retains in place an endless rubber gasket |32, the latter having a hollow flexible bead |33.

When installing the housing I4 on the bowl II and flush tank I2, the plate 25 is installed in place between the bowl base I9 and the floor 22 as shown in Fig. 5 and the housing is positioned on the oor 22 with the tracks 46 aligned with the inverted channels 26. The housing I4 is now slid towards the bowl I and ush tank I2 so as to entirely cover these. When this takes place the bead |33 of the rubber packing |32 flexes to adapt itself to the upper face of the rim 20 of the bowl i as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The space between the ange I3| and the rim 20 of the bowl is now sealed with a plastic cement |35 so as to make a permanent double liquid-tight seal between the housing I4 and the bowl II.

Journalled in suitable bearings |40 provided in the walls |28 are hollow trunnions |4| of a hollow toilet seat |42. The space inside the seat |42 connects with the interior of the trunnions |4| and the latter are provided with ports |43 which connect through ports in the bearings |40 with a manifold conduit |50 which connects with a pipe |5| leading to the intake end of the motor fan unit 5I. The seat |42 is provided with a series of openings |55. The exposed ends of the hollow trunnions Ili are closed and a pin |60 extends axially from one of these trunnions to which pin is rigidly fixed a counter balance arm |6I. This arm |6| extends rearwardly underneath the foot 19 of the switch rod 11 and carries a counterweight |62. A suitable spring |63 is supported to extend downwardly from a lug |65 provided on the housing shell 40 and yieldingly resists upward swinging of the arm I6I so as to normally suspend the seat |42 in the full line position in which it is shown in Fig. 2.

The upper portion 44 of the shell 40 has a vertical recess |10 extending from the shelf |25 to its upper end, this recess providing vertical 0pposed walls I1| which lie in the same planes as the walls |21 and provide upward continuations of the latter.

Provided in the walls I 1| where these join with the walls |21 (See Fig. 5) are bearings |15 in which trunnions |16 and |11, provided at the rear corners of a seat cover |18, are pivotally mounted. The trunnion |11 has rigidly mounted thereon a counterbalance arm |00, this arm carrying a counterbalance I8| and a spring ball detent |82, and having a friction head |83 at its end. Suspended from a lug |85 on the wall 42 is a coil spring |86 which is adapted to engage the arm |80 to cushion the return of the seat cover |18 to its downwardmost position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 2. While the seat cover |18 may have a smooth nish it is preferred to equip this cover with a fabric upholstery as suggested in Figs. 1, 2 and 5.

Operation As set forth hereinabove, one of the important objects of this invention is to disguise the toilet bowl I and flush tank I2 so that when so disguised these give the appearance of an article of furniture. When the disguised toilet I0 is not in use it at all times appears as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. In other words, the cover |18 is closed. Therefore, whenever it is desired to use this toilet the cover |18 must be manually opened into its broken line position |9| as shown in Fig. 2. This swings the arm |88 downwardly to bring the detent |82 beneath the upper arm |92 of bell crank 50'. This also brings the friction head I 83 of the arm |88 into its downwardmost position as indicated by broken lines 93. The friction set up between the spring detent |82 and the arm |92 retains the seat cover |18 in open position.

In sitting on seat |42 this is now depressed about its trunnions |4I to its broken line position (see Fig. 2). This swinging of seat |42 causes the rear end of the counterbalance arm I5| to lift the foot 19 of the rod 'I1 thus actuating the switch arm 86 by lifting this upward thereby energizing the motor fan unit 5| and causing air to be drawn inwardly in the holes |55 of the seat |42 and exhausted, after passing through the fan unit 5|, into the flue 54.

It is also seen that when the person using the toilet I0 arises from the seat I 42 the action of the springs |63 and 8| swings the arm I6| downwardly into the full line position in which it is Shown in Fig. 2 and also forces the rod 11 downwardly to throw out 'the switch 85 thus shutting off the motor fan'lunit 5|. i i

When a person sits on'the seat `|l|2 so as to lift on the rod 11 this also rotates the bell crank 66 and the lever 61 into their dotted line positions shown in Fig. 2, thus shifting the ball detent -9| which is on the lever 61 into a position where it contacts the friction head |83 of the seat cover' arm |86, the latter presumably now being in its broken line position |93. Thus as long as a per-- son remains seated on the seat |42 the seat'cover |18 will remain in its uppermost broken line position ISI.

When it is desired to flush the toilet bowl II this may be done either manually or electrically. To do this manually' the manual flush button ||2 is seized in the fingers and lifted until the washer and nut ||4 engages the bifurcated arm of the bell crank I1 straddling the rod I I3. The

I button ||2 is then further lifted to rock the bell crank 1| and shift the rod 93 to the right. This rocks the bell crank S8 and pulls down on the rod 92 so as to operate the iiush tank l2 by lifting the hollow ball valve 3| from its seat Sli. At the same time the rod 93 swings the bell crank 69 into the broken line position indicated for this in Figs. 2 and 6 so that the upper arm |92 thereof is shifted out of contact with the ball detent'lSZ. This frees the seat cover |13 from the friction between the arm |92 and the detent |82 which formerly tended to retain the seat cover in its uppermost position igl. If, when flushing the toilet, a person is still seated upon the seat |42 the seat cover |18 will be freed from the friction between bell crank arm |92 and .detent |82 but the seat cover will remain subject to the friction between lever 61 and friction head |83 as shown in full lines in Fig. 6.

It is also seen that once the cover |18 is swung open into its broken line position ISI it will thereafter be automatically closed only if the toilet is flushed. Furthermore, this automatic closing of the cover |18 will occur following the iiushing of the toilet only when the person sitting on the seat |42 arises therefrom.

The manual toilet flushing button I|2 is only intended for emergency use as the normal method of iiushing the toilet is by means of the electric responsive power unit |00. Whenever it is desired to do so, this power unit is set in motion by depressing the electric button |20 which, through the conductors |2I, causes the power unit I!) to rotate the crank |0| a single revolution thereby rocking the bell crank 1|) against the collar 91 which shifts the rod S3 towards the right so as to produce the same results as above described as following the manual lifting of the button ||2.

As will be seen in the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings I have provided a toilet cabinet which may be made up in any desired design so as to constitute a beautiful article of furniture which may be either white or in any of the tints at the present time popular in bathroom fixtures.

It is also clear that I have provided a sanitary and practical toilet fixture which is of a stream lined style so as to eliminate irregularities in the exposed surfaces thereof, making this easy to clean as Well as very pleasing in appearance.

Another advantage of my invention lies in the fact that the toilet is not only disguised by the invention but that the cover, the front portion of which extends downwardly in front of the seat, is automatically returned to covering positionfto perfect -such disguiseffollowing the use of the toilet. 'It is thus seen to be unnecessary for any particular attention to be paid to replacing the cover of my invention in closed position so as to restore the complete disguise effected therebyfollowing the' use of the toilet.

*Another advantage of my invention is that all the mechanism thereof is concealed yet readily accessible should i't require attention.

It is -to be noted that the flush tank I2 is supportedon brackets 2&0 which extend down to and rest upon Atheiloor 22. This assures that the flush tank I2 when installed will be disposed at the proper height to cooperate with the rest ofthe .device l0. The lrod 92 is guided by a bearing secured upon the inner face of the upper portion 44 of the shell 40. Provided on the upper end of the rod 92 is a finger 202 which eX- tends over the iiush tank operating lever 31 at the proper heightto engage and depress this lever when the rod 92 is pulled downwardly in the operation of the flush tank operating mechanism. One of the principal advantagesof having the brackets Zilil'reach entirely down to the floor 22 is that thi'sautomatically fixes the height at which the Hush tank |2 is supported when installed so that when the housing I4 is slid rearwardly into place theoperating lever 31 on the ush tank I2 is properly related to the nger 2M to ybe actuated by the latter as aforesaid.

While ,I have sho-wn and described my device as equipped with flush tank I2 it is to be understoodthat a flush valve may be substituted in place of this 4flush tank without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. The flush valves in most common use if substituted for the ush tank I 2 would occupy the same space as the drawings show to be occupied by the lower half of the ush tank i2. Where a flush valve is thus substituted for the flush tank I2 the upper portion 44 of the housing shell is lower in height so as to just snugly house the flush valve.

What I claim is:

l. In a toilet bowl and flush means cabinet, the combination of: a housing in the shape of a seat with a back said housing having a lower portion for covering said bowl and a portion extending upwardly from the rear of said lower portion to cover said flush means; means forming a liquid tight seal between said housing and the rim of said bowl; and means adjacent the ioor for holding said housing downwardly in place over said bowl and flush means.

2. In a toilet cabinet, the combination of: a housing in the shape of a seat for covering said toilet; guide means adapted to be secured to the floor; and means on said housing and cooperating with said guide means to permit said housing to be slid into place over said toilet with said cooperating means extending under said guide means.

3. In a toilet cabinet, the combination of: a housing in the shape of a chain for covering said toilet; guide means adapted to be secured to the floor; means on said housing and cooperating with said guide means to permit said housing to be slid into place over said toilet with said cooperating means extending under said guide means, said housing having an opening adapted to overlie said toilet when said housing is in place; and means forming a liquid tight seal between said housing and the rim of said toilet when said housing is in place.

4. In a toilet bowl cabinet, the combination of:

a housing in the shape of a seat for covering said bowl; means adjacent to the oor and secured thereto for holding said housing downwardly in place over said bowl when said housing is slid horizontally into place over said bowl; a toilet seat and cover hingedly mounted on said housing; and iiush means operating means provided on said housing along side said seat.

5. In a toilet bowl cabinet, the combination of z a housing for covering said bowl, said housing having an opening substantially conforming to the rim of said bowl; packing retention means provided on said housing about said opening; a ring of packing supported by said retention means about said opening, said packing ring forming a seal between said housing and said rim of said bowl when said housing is properly positioned over said bowl; and means provided on sai-d floor and adapted to engage said housing when the latter is moved into said position over said bowl to retain said bowl in said position.

6. In a toilet bowl cabinet, the combination of a housing for covering the front and sides of said bowl, said housing having an upper opening substantially conforming to the rim of said bowl; a ring of packing material provided on said housing about said opening, said packing ring forming a seal between said housing and said rim of said bowl, when said housing is properly positioned over said bowl; and means for securing said housing in such position.

'7, A combination as in claim 6 in which the seal between said packing material and said rim is in asubstantially horizontal plane.

8. A combination as in claim 6 in which the contact between said packing material and said rim is in a substantially horizontal plane, and in which said means for holding said housing in place comprises interlocking guide means on the floor and on said housing which interlocks to hold said housing down with said packing pressed against the rim of said bowl as said housing is slid horizontally into place over said bowl.-

9. In a cabinet for a toilet bowl having a flushing means, the combination of: a housing for covering a plurality of sides of said bowl; means for holding said housing in properly covering relation with said bowl; and flushing means operating means provided on said housing adjacent the front end of said bowl.

10. In a cabinet for enclosing a toilet bowl mounted on the floor of a building, the combination of: a housing for covering the front and sides of said bowl and extending down to said floor, said housing having an upper opening substantially conforming to the rim of said bowl; a ring of packing material provided on said housing about said opening and adapted to make a liquid tight seal with said rim when pressed tightly downward thereagainst; and means for securing said housing to said floor, said means holding said housing downwardly to hold said packing material in sealing engagement with said rim.

HARRY I. STILLER. 

